U.S. Consumer Sentiment Revised Up to 48.0 in Final October Reading

The University of Michigan’s final October consumer sentiment reading came in above its preliminary level, even as views of current economic conditions weakened and inflation expectations rose. The survey tracks household assessments of current conditions and their outlook, offering a measure of how consumers view the economy.

The index was 48.0, up 1.7 index points from the preliminary 46.3. It remained just below September’s 48.1 and was 10.4% lower than October 2025’s 53.6. The final results were released Friday, Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. ET (14:00 UTC). TokenPost previously covered the preliminary October sentiment reading.

The survey’s two main components moved in different directions. The Current Economic Conditions index slipped to 46.7 from 50.9 in September, a monthly decline of 8.3%. The Index of Consumer Expectations rose to 48.8 from 46.3, a 5.4% increase. The final headline index’s month-over-month change was listed at minus 0.2%.

Buying conditions for durable goods fell 18%, accounting for the full monthly decline in current conditions. Higher interest rates and affordability concerns weighed on those views. Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers, said, “Purchasing power continues to dominate consumer views of the economy.”

Consumers’ expectations for inflation over the next year rose to 4.7% from 4.6% in September. Their long-run expectations increased to 3.5% from 3.4%. Both inflation measures rose for a second straight month, reaching their highest readings since May.